Connacht 16 Ospreys 44:The Ospreys hit hosts Connacht with seven tries - three from Jonny Vaughton - as the Welsh region ruled supreme at the Sportsground this evening.
Connacht's bid for a clean sweep of victories over the Welsh regions in Galway came undone - despite the fact that they only trailed 17-16 at the interval.
Lyn Jones' side moved closer to Heineken Cup qualification as winger Vaughton, outhalf Shaun Connor, hooker Huw Bennett, replacement flanker Lee Beech and Wales centre Sonny Parker all crossed the Connacht whitewash.
The win saw Wales under-21 flyhalf James Hook, who will travel to Argentina with the senior squad next month, make his first appearance for the Ospreys since September 2004.
A breakaway try from centre John Hearty in first-half injury time had helped Connacht keep in touch.
Outhalf Mark McHugh booted three penalties but the Ospreys mercilessly scored 24 points without reply in the second half to power clear.
The Ospreys set the ball rolling in the fourth minute. Parker bulldozed up the Connacht line before flicking a pass for Connor to scoot in at the corner.
McHugh, backed by the wind, fired over a brace of penalties in reply.
But the classy Connor was on top form in open play and he sliced through the Connacht defence to set up Bennett's score on 23 minutes.
Gavin Henson converted and four minutes later, slick hands from Jonathan Thomas, Connor and Henson sent Vaughton scurrying down the touchline for an excellent score and a 17-6 lead.
An untimely yellow card for Argentina-bound lock Alun Wyn Jones, who was sought out for pulling down a lineout, saw the Ospreys' good work undone before the break.
Following another McHugh penalty, Hearty nabbed his first Celtic League try.
New Zealander Gavin Williams set it up when he charged down Connor's chip and raced into the Ospreys' half - Hearty was free to collect his pass and dot down.
McHugh missed a crucial penalty just after the restart, and despite having back row Richie Pugh binned for a ruck offence, the Ospreys easily controlled the second half.
Henson landed a penalty to push himself through the 600-point mark in the League.
Beech (62), Vaughton (69, 72) and Parker (80) shared out the tries with Vaughton's hat-trick score seeing him outpace Conor McPhillips down the left wing.
Neath starlet Hook, making only his second appearance in an Ospreys shirt, converted his side's final two tries.